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Thoughts from the Publisher : City Manager’s Newsletter

By Neena Strichart
Publisher

There are so many things happening in Long Beach and Signal Hill that sometimes it all seems a blur. One way I am able to keep things straight is by reading the City Manager’s newsletter from Signal Hill. Manager Ken Farfsing and his staff do a beautiful job of putting together this weekly briefing of news that keeps us in the loop. His newsy blurbs give us fodder for follow-up articles and features that we offer to you, our loyal readers.
Here is a condensed version of a recent edition:
Signal Hill Police Department DUI Checkpoint
The Signal Hill Police Department conducted a DUI checkpoint on Friday, May 16, 2008. The checkpoint was run between the hours of 6:30 p.m to 1 a.m. Vehicles that traveled through the checkpoint totaled 1,949, with 717 of the vehicles being screened. Citations issued during the checkpoint included 21citations for unlicensed drivers, three were issued for driving on a suspended license, eight citations for seat belt violations, four citations for child seat violations, two citations for not being in possession of a license, one stop sign violation, and one license plate violation. Twenty eight vehicles were towed during the checkpoint, which included 19 impounds for 30 days, and nine vehicles being stored.
Sergeant Bob Cravens headed the checkpoint with the assistance of Captain Ron Mark, Sergeant Colleen Vincent, and Officers Sailers, Serna, Spiegel, Noble, Crigler, Buccat, Senior Officer Leyn, Senior Officer Brown, Dispatcher/Jailer Fisher, P/C Aide Martinez, and intern Onoda. Signal Hill Police Department Explorers Ungerman, Juardo and Low also assisted during the checkpoint.
New Stores Approved
The Planning Commission worked late into the night [recently] approving four new retail buildings at the Signal Hill Gateway shopping center. Tenants include:
• Jack in the Box drive-through restaurant
• Petco
• Party City
The third space contains 7,000 square feet of speculative floor area available for a yet to be determined retail store or restaurant. These will support the Circuit City store that now stands alone east of the Home Depot. The proposed whimsical architecture builds on and improves the somewhat plain Home Depot architecture, thanks to Scott Charney, planning manager, who worked with project architects Greenberg Farrow of Irvine to upgrade original proposed plans.
According to the Jack in the Box spokesperson, the proposed prototype store represents a departure from Jack’s traditional red and white décor to a more inviting Starbucks-like interior with furnishings including a fireplace. Assuming that Starbucks will reactivate their approved project, these stores will complete the pads available in the Signal Hill Gateway shopping center.